Intuit Launches CRM for SMBs

Intuit has released a CRM application called Customer Management aimed at the same small businesses that use its Quicken and QuickBooks applications, reports VentureBeat. That puts it into competition with CRM vendors such as Salesforce.com.

The story says CRM applications for SMBs tend to be stripped-down versions built for larger companies. Intuit product manager John Flora describes the result:

It’s like trying to sell a soccer mom a new car by taking an 18-wheeler and taking the wheels off the back.

Intuit's version, however, is focused on simplicity, keeping everything in one place: contact information, pending tasks, upcoming appointments, etc. While Intuit offers on-premise and Web versions of its other software, Customer Management is offered as Web only.

ZDNet's Sam Diaz says the mobile version works only on a few BlackBerries so far. He says the company should have included more smartphones at launch.

Customer Manager costs $9.95 a month for up to five users.